Users of cheating website Ashley Madison could find themselves in need of a Manchester divorce lawyer after hackers published personal data about members.
Earlier this week (August 18th), “The Impact Team” revealed the names and contact details of 33 million Ashley Madison users, who sign up to the website to cheat on their partners.
Now, a British couple have been reported to have started divorce proceedings after the wife found out about her husband’s infidelity through the leak.
It is likely there will be many more married couples who end up down this road – with someone new reportedly joining the site every six seconds across 46 countries – if they are unable to resolve their problems.
Relationship counselling service Relate has started to receive calls from those whose partners have used the site to have affairs outside of their marriage.
It has advised people who have found their partner’s details have been exposed in the data hack to talk to their spouse, listen to what they have to say, and ask for the truth. Whether the couple decides to re-commit to the relationship or not, it recommended counselling services to support both parties during this difficult time.
Denise Knowles, a counsellor at Relate, said: “Even if you haven’t been directly affected, the coverage may have prompted you to start questioning your own relationship.”
This could mean the leak of the Ashley Madison site may have a ripple effect, causing people to suspect their spouse of cheating and creating problems of distrust in the relationship. As a result, divorce cases could be on the rise throughout the country.